Our Mission

Verizon partners with 826 to support public school students and teachers

By admin | December 5, 2011

For a second consecutive year, Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, will support 826 Valencia with a grant of $20,000 for its In-schools Program. The program provides writing and literacy assistance for over 2,300 students in approximately 15 schools throughout the San Francisco Unified School District during the 2011-2012 school year.

Leigh Lehman, 826 Valencia’s executive director, states, “It is a great honor to partner with Verizon on our In-schools Program. Our programming inspires and prepares students to reach for their goals. We are incredibly fortunate to have both financial support and volunteer participation from such a respected and philanthropic corporation as Verizon.”

826 Valencia’s In-schools Program dispatches teams of volunteers into high-needs schools around San Francisco to support teachers and provide assistance to students as they tackle various projects, such as college-application essays, research papers, school newspapers, and oral histories. In two of these schools, 826 has satellite classrooms where they work intensively on projects that build leadership, prepare students for high school, and involve students in their larger community.

“Verizon is committed to supporting strong educational programs that improve the ability of students to succeed and achieve their highest potential,” said Holly Cole, Verizon’s director of government and external affairs. By investing in the future of our students, we are investing in the future of our communities, our industry, and our country’s economy.”